- One of the 15,000 prisoners who escaped during mass jailbreaks amid protests returned to a jail in Kailali
- He thought he was free, but feared that the new government could double his sentence over the jailbreak
- Nepal’s army has recaptured nearly 200 prisoners who had escaped
At least 15,000 prisoners escaped from more than two dozen prisons across Nepal after mass jailbreaks as Gen-Z protestors took to the streets to protest against corruption and the government's ban on several social media apps, which forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday.
In a strange turn of events in Dhangadhi, the capital of Kailali, Nepal's far Western Province, one of the 692 prisoners who fled the city's jail during the protest surrendered himself. His reason: Fear of getting a double sentence for escaping jail after the next government is formed.
At Dhangadhi Jail, 697 prisoners were lodged in jail before the clashes, while only five remained after the jailbreak.
After deciding to surrender, the prisoner, whose identity has not been disclosed, returned to the facility the next morning when he realised his mistake. He was accompanied by two of his family members.
He realised that even though he's free now, if the police catch him again, it could lead to new charges for jailbreaking, and his punishment could be extended.
As he arrived at the jail, several security personnel were inside, but the outer gate was locked. He called out multiple times to surrender, but they ignored him. Eventually, a guard approached, asking why he wanted to return. The guard then relayed the situation to his officer to have the prisoner lodged back into the jail.
His relatives told NDTV that the prisoner's decision stemmed from the fear that his sentence might increase if he were caught when the next government comes into power. "The next government might see him as a reformed citizen and grant a pardon," one family member explained.
At least eight inmates have died during clashes with security forces since violence erupted on Tuesday
More than two dozen prisons across the country have witnessed clashes and breaks with mass escapes, with thousands of inmates fleeing amid arson attacks and riots, news agency PTI reported, citing a report.
"The jailbreaks began when youth protesters stormed multiple prison facilities, setting administrative buildings ablaze and forcing open prison gates. By Wednesday evening, preliminary reports confirmed that over 15,000 inmates had fled from more than 25 prisons, with only a fraction returning voluntarily or being rearrested," Nepal daily The Kathmandu Post reported.
Among the major prison escapees listed by the newspaper were the Banke Juvenile Reform Centre (122), the Banke District Prison (436), and Kathmandu Valley's Central Jail in Sundhara (3,300), Nakkhu Prison in Lalitpur (1,400), and Dillibazar Prison (1100).
Nepal's army said Thursday it has recaptured nearly 200 prisoners after mass jailbreaks during deadly protests, a fraction of the thousands on the run, news agency AFP reported.
It has added to the challenges facing the army and police as they try to restore order in the wake of the most violent protests in decades.
